Nuggets' Andre Miller takes out frustration on coach Brian Shaw

By Royce Young | NBA writer

January 2, 2014 11:37 AM ET

Andre Miller isn't very happy. (USATSI)The Nuggetsare in the middle of an ugly free fall right now. With Wednesday's home loss to the 76ers, they've dropped to 14-17 and have lost eight straight games.

And with things bad, some players are starting to get agitated. For example, veteran Andre Miller who was benched last night by Brian Shaw, and then let his coach hear about it. Via the Denver Post:

After the Nuggets' eighth consecutive loss, 114-102 to Philadelphia on Wednesday night at the Pepsi Center, J.J. Hickson agreed with the notion that the Nuggets have hit rock bottom. But that point may have come earlier, in the second half, when Andre Miller, headed for his first healthy scratch, decided he would verbally take it out on coach Brian Shaw.

Miller yelled about the disrespect he felt he was being shown by sitting. And if he was being disrespected, he'd do the same to the Nuggets' first-year head coach.

"There's a time and place for everything," Shaw said. "In the middle of the arena in front of everyone ... I just tried to calm it down."

Asked if Miller understood the reasons for his one-game seat on the bench, Shaw said, "You'll have to ask him."

But by that time, Miller had already left.

Miller's last five games: 29 minutes, 15 minutes, 11 minutes, nine minutes and finally, a DNP-CD. Denver bench has been an area of concern for the team, and Miller has always been a steady influence on it.

But he's clashing with Shaw. Miller's always been an outspoken player, one to talk about his playing time and role openly, so he's not shy about this kind of stuff. He's mad that a) he's not playing and b) that his team's losing.